The High Court yesterday rejected an appeal by Chen Po-yan (陳柏諺), who was found guilty of murdering a Malaysian female student surnamed Chai (蔡) in 2022, and upheld the life sentence handed down to him by a lower court.
During the hearings in the High Court, Chen admitted to the murder and asked for a 15-year sentence, so he could be rehabilitated, fulfill his duties to his parents and try to make amendments to the victim’s family.
The prosecutors and the family’s lawyer called for him to receive the death penalty.
Photo: Yang Kuo-wen, Taipei Times
The case can still be appealed.
In April 2022, Chen contacted 24-year-old Chai, who was then studying at a Taipei university, through the social media platform Instagram.
The two did not interact frequently, but on Oct. 3 that year, Chen contacted Chai again. He subsequently visited her rental place multiple times.
On Oct. 13, Chen demanded more than NT$90,000 from Chai, and when she refused, he strangled her and smothered her face with a pillow, causing her to suffocate to death.
After committing the crime, Chen attempted suicide. While police and firefighters were rescuing him, he confessed to the crime.
In the first trial, the Shilin District Court sentenced Chen to life imprisonment for murder.
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